Electric switches



Aug. 28, 1962 H. w. BROWN 3,051,803

ELECTRIC SWITCHES Original Filed Aug. 29, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 -mn lea 'i' @PEE 'gl E 5,1 a Qminml um F /mnmxm' www Qlwrww 'gibts M dazi? www Aug. 28, 1962 H. w. BROWN ELECTRIC SWITCHES Original Filed Aug. 29, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent O 3,051,803 ELECTRIC SWITCHES Harry W. Brown, Mukwonago, Wis., assigner to Cutler- Hammer, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Orig'nal application Aug. 29, 1958, Ser. No. 758,125, now Patent No. 2,927,983, dated Mar. 8, 1960. Divided and this application Nov. 12, 1959, Ser. No. 852,294 1 Claim. (Cl. 200-67) This invention relates to electric switches, and more particularly to switches of the rocker button actuated typA primary object of the invention is to improve and simplify the details of construction and assembly of the parts and the operating characteristics of the aforementioned type of switches.

A more specic object is to provide a novel and simple form of manually operable switch of the rocker button type wherein a plurality of rocker button actuators each of which is of a one-piece construction are mounted in side by side relation.

Still another object is to provide an anti-vision arc shield between rocker button actuators of adjacently mounted switches of the aforementioned type which will permit easy and proper operation of such switches.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear.

The accompanying drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention which will be hereinafter described in detail, it being understood that the embodiments illustrated are susceptible of various modiications without departing from the scope of the claim.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a rocker button actuator switch constructed in accordance with my invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional View taken on line 2-2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a view, partly in vertical section and partly in side elevation of a modified form of switch;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing details of la part of the switch shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional View taken on line 5 5 of FIG. l; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the construction of a sealing gasket and retaining plate used in the switch shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5.

Referring to the drawings, the electric switch shown includes a casing consisting of a box like insulated switch base 10 and a punched and stamped sheet metal switch frame 12. Switch frame 12 is provided with a cover portion 12a overlying and substantially closing the cavity in base 10. The switch frame 12 also has portions 12b bent downwardly to provide securement of the frame to base 10. Upwardly and outwardly bent portions 12c of the switch frame 12 provide switch mounting brackets, and generally triangular portions 12d bent upwardly and in parallel with the side Walls of base 10 have alined apertures 12e to accommodate the end portions of a pivot pin 14.

The switch mechanism comprises a tixed common ter-i minal assembly `16 secured midway of the longitudinal dimension of the bottom wall of the base 1G, iixed terminal assemblies 18 on opposite sides of the common terminal assembly 16, a tiltable bridging contactor 22, a bridging contactor operating plunger 24 and a manually operating rocker button actuator 26. Each of the terminal assemblies 18 includes la lug 18a which is riveted to the outside of the bottom Wall of the base 10. A rivet having an upset head 18h is seated against the inner surface of the bottom wall of the base 10 and 3,05l,83 Patented Aug. 28, 1962 serves as a statonray contact tip. The common terminal assembly 16 includes la U-shaped pivot member 16a anda lug 16b which are electrically interconnected and secured to the upper and lower surfaces, respectively, of the bottom wall of the base 1G by a rivet 16C. The upwardly extending arms of the U-shaped member 16a are slotted to accommodate the bridging contactor 22 and to provide a double pivot for the latter; said contactor having a laterally extending wing portions 22a located between said upwardly extending arms of members 16a to prevent substatnial endwise displacement of said contactor upon rocking or tilting of said contactor.

As thus far described, the switch mechanism resembles that disclosed in the Krieger Patent 2,248,362.

The bridging contactor operating plunger 24 is slidably disposed in a downwardly opening recess 26a in a rocker button actuator 26. The plunger 24 is provided with an upwardly opening recess 24a and is biased into engagement with the bridging contactor 22 by a coiled compression spring 28. The latter is held under compression between the top of recess 26a and the bottom of recess 24a.

The rocker button actuator 26 comprises a generally T-shaped integral member having a top portion 26b formed by the intersection of two flat surfaces at a substantially obtuse angle, a generally semicircular intermediate stem portion 26C, and an integral depending shrank portion 26d having downwardly depending lug portions 26e extending from the lower side of said shank portion and situated on opposite sides of the `downwardly opening recess 26a. The generally semicircular portion 26C of the rocker button actuator 26 is provided with a pivot aperture 26jc of circular cross section. A pivot pin 14 extends through the aligned apertures 12e and 261 to provide for pivotal support of actuator 26. The rocker button 26 is formed of a suitable insulating material such as thermo-plastic or thermal setting plastic.

In the assembled relation shown, the shank portion 26d of rocker button 26 extends downwardly into base 10 through a centrally located rectangular opening 12f in the overlying cover portion :12a of switch frame 12. When the rocker button actuator 26 is rotated about pivot pin 14 to its extreme counterclockwise position as shown in FIG. 2, marginal ends of the opening 12f in the cover portion 12a of switch frame 12 engage the flleted portion 26g of the shank portion 26d of the rocker button actuator 26 to provide a positive stop.

As the rocker button actuator 26 begins to rotate clockwise about pivot 14 as shown in FIG. 3, plunger member 24 slides along on bridging contactor 22 and is displaced upwardly into recess 26a in the shank portion 26d of the rocker button actuator 26 against the bias of the spring 28. The upward displacement of the plunger 24 compresses spring 28 thereby maintaining continuous engagement of plunger 24 and the bridging contactor 22 as the plunger 24 slides along on the bridging contactor 22. As the plunger 24 begins to engage with the center portion 22a of the bridging contactor 22, the right-hand portion of the bridging contactor is pivoted upwardly about the upwardly extending righthand arm of member 16a thus disengaging the bridging contactor lfrom contact 18h. To insure positive breaking action of the bridging contactor 22 and contact 18b upon rotation of the rocker button actuator 26, the integral lug 26e depending from the shank portion 26d of actuator 26 engages the upwardly extending left-hand tively break occasional electrical welds between the contactor 22 and the contact 18b.

As the actuater is further rotated in a clockwise direction, the plunger 24 slides on the left-hand portion of the bridging contactor 22 causing said portion .of said contacter to tilt downwardly into engagement with the left-hand stationary contact 18b. The integral lleted portion 26g of the actuator 26 engages the opposite marginal end of the rectangular opening 121c in the cover portion 12a of the switch frame 12 to stop the pivotal movement of the rocker button actuator 26 thereby preventing the plunger 24 from sliding over the end of the bridging contactor 22.

As best illustrated in FIG. 5, a modiiied form of switch has a sealing gasket 30 of resilient material such as felt or soft rubber. As shown in FIG. 6, the gasket 30 is generally rectangular in shape and is provided with rectangular openings 30a. The gasket 30 is disposed about the rectangular opening 12j in switch frame :12 and is held in place by a punched and stamped retaining plate 34.` The retaining plate 34 substantially overlies the sealing gasket 30 to prevent displacement thereof and flanges 34a of the plate are secured to the switch frame 12 as by spot welding. The rectangular openings 30a in the gasket 30 are provided' with inner dimensions such that, in assembled relation on switch frame 12, the marginal surfaces in the openings 30a of the gasket 30 are compressed snuggly against the outer margins of the shank portions 26e and 26d of the rocker button actuators 26, Ias the actuators are pivoted about pivot pin 14, thereby continuously providing a seal to prevent dust or other foreign matter from entering through the opening in the top of the switch base 10.

To provide a lateral oiset 12g for placement therein of the side portions of gasket 30 and retaining plate 34, the upwardly extending spaced arms 12d of the switch plate 12 are `bent inwardly at an angle at an intermediate point 12h of the spacer arms.

A light shield 50 composed of a thin sheet of suitableheat resistant material such as ber, plastic or Vmetal is disposed between two adjacent rocker button actuators 26 mounted coaxially on a pivot pin 14. The light shield 50 has a thickness approximately twice the depth of a shallow indented portion 26h located in that side of rocker button actuator 26 which abuts the surface of light shield 6l). As shown in FIG.` 4 the light shield 50 is generally triangular and has a depending rectangular shank 50a and a generally semicircular notch 50h at the apex to accommodate a boss 261' shown in FIG. 3 surrounding a pivot aperture 26j. When in the assembled relation with abutting rocker button actuator 26 mounted coaxially on pivot pin 14 shown in FIG. 3, the rectangular portion 50a of the shield 50 is positioned in the opening 12]c in the overlying cover portion 12a of switch frame 12 and extends downwardly into the base 10. The ears 50c formed by the opposite angles of the triangular shield overlie the cover portion 12a to prevent the shield 50 from dropping into the base 10. The slope of the sides 50d of the shield is great enough yto provide clearance between the shield 50 and the underside of the top portion 26h of the rocker button actuator as the rocker button is operated into either of its opposite extreme positions. Since the rectangular shank portion 50a of the light shield 50 is disposed in the opening 12]c in the cover portion 12a between the rocker button actuators 26, arcing between contacts 18b and the bridging contactor 22 which might be visible between adjacent rocker buttons during operation of the switch is effectively shielded from the operators View.

This application is a division of Harry W. Brown application Serial No. 758,125, led August 29, 1958, now Patent No. 2,927,983, dated March 8, 1960.

I claim:

In anelectric switch having an insulating base, contact means for selectively completing electrical circuits mounted within said base, a plurality of discrete rocker button actuating levers for actuating said contact means, means pivotally supporting said 4actuating levers in side by side relation comprising a supporting member mounted on said base and having an aperture for said actuating levers and a common pivot member inserted transversely through said actuating levers, and said pivot member having its extremities supported by said supporting member, the improvement comprising means for shielding arcing light which is normally visible through the space between said rocker button actuating levers, said shielding means comprising an opaque member lling the portion of said aperture between said actuating levers and being confined between said supporting member and the pivot portions of said actuating levers.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,267,203 Krieger 1.- Dec. 23, 1941 2,702,845 DeSmidt Feb. 22, 1955 2,812,402 Dixon Nov. 5, 1957 2,881,279 Taylor Apr. 7, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,181,443 France Jan. l2, 1959 

